Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-03-11

there were twelve Of us-were dressed
in long tow shirts. We never got shoes
until we were able to do some sort of
work-not even in winter. didn't get
shoes until was able to bind after the
cradle in the field. We boys didn't get a
hat till we were ten Years old. When we
were sick they would give US sage tea.
Though there were twelve of us, my faith
er never had doctor but once in his life
for his whole family, We children didn't
sit at the table with the grown ones.
When the time came for our supper the
colored woman would take off the fire
big pot of mush and iadle out our share
in pewter dishes. with milk in it. There
was no coffee--coffee in those times was
for sick people or very old people. At
dinner we had meat, cabbage, milk and
vegetables. l was sent to school at eight
years of age. The school was near the
Hermitage. In it they taught German,
and there 1 learned to read this-and Mr..
Coiner took up one of Martin Luther's
Bibles in German. The school was ON
Elk Run and two or three streams,
branches of that Run. that were fed by
fine springs in that day, are now entirely
dry and the ground for many years has
been plowed over.
My father, Caspar Coiner. had twelve
children, seyenty-six grand children and
thirty five great grand children when he
died. The raising we got made US hardy
enough. for can remember one year that
l worked out of doors every working day
in the year, winter and summer.
CONCLUSION.
After my interview, of which I have
given fairly full sketch above. was over,
l took dinner with the family, which
consisted of the old gentleman, his son
Philip Melancthon Coiner; the wife of the
latter, formerly Miss Lincoln of Rock
ingham, a member of the family from
which President Lincoln came: and Martin
Luther Leonard of Waynesboro, a
relative of the Coiner family, who
was my companion on my drive
The table would have surprised those old
oCOU1ClS WIZ lltCo VII OuVtOALullh Ruu
hominy,' for it was heavily weighted with
everything that goes to make up good
dinner gotten up in the incest style
When I babe the old man farewell, told
him hoped to come when he celebrated
his centennial and interview him again.
He gave hearty laugh and said if he was
still here | might come. Perhaps l should
not close this interview without referring
to ''Old Harry" a colored man who has
been with Mr.. Coiner for fifty eight years
and who goes out with him now into the
fields whenever he goes. He is as much
at home on The premises as the veteran
himself.
This veteran farmer is to-day one, and
Coiners IN Augusta county, and all of kin,
whether the name be spelled Coyner,
Conner, or Koiner. It is a family that in
whatever part of the county it has spread
from the little settlers cabin near Ram
says graveyard. has made the land bios
som into thrifty. well kept farms. They
are a remarkable people in the way of
thrift, and l was once told Though 1 now
forget the fgures) of the mum Der of farms in
South River district that are owned by
Coiners-the number is larger than
those held by any fifty other names put
together. The names of those 1 gave you at
dinner table will inform you that the bear
ers were Lutherans. Nearly all of the name
and kin are Lutherans and orthodox in
county the bearers of the family name have
been legislators, county officers, preachers,
soldiers, farmers, business men-every.
thing that good citizen may be, and con-
Quoted themselves we'll therein.